Behind the Bunny: Playboy's "Good Life" and What It Means to the World
An Interview with Jim Griffiths and Jay Jay Nesheim
Few symbols are associated as closely with sex as the Playboy Bunny. But this logo is only a single visible aspect of the immense role Playboy has played, since its conception almost 50 years ago, in changing how the world perceives sexuality. Charismatic founder Hugh Hefner, advocate and practitioner of the Playboy lifestyle, extended his vision of sexual freedom and empowerment beyond his Playboy mansion to the entire United States (and then the world) with his Playboy magazine. SWAY Magazine was given a rare chance to ask two executives, President of Playboy Entertainment Jim Griffiths and VP of Public Relations Jay Jay Nesheim, about Playboy and everything it stands for.
What is the most unusual aspect of Playboy, or something about the company that someone outside of Playboy would never know?
Jim Griffiths: I think many people would be surprised to know that one-half of Playboy Enterprises’ employees are women, four out of ten of the company’s mid- to upper-level managers are women, and 45 percent of the company’s corporate officers are women.
Jay Jay, what is it like to be a woman working at Playboy? Why did you decide to work for the company?
Jay Jay Nesheim: I have always been a fan of Playboy and view it as a company dedicated to both empowering women and providing quality men’s entertainment. I have to admit that I didn’t realize the scope of Playboy’s business when I first started working here. I was a fan of the brand and of the magazine, and I thought the job would be fun. However, I didn’t understand just how much Hugh Hefner had served as an agent of social change. When he first started Playboy magazine, society frowned upon women who expressed their sexuality. Mr. Hefner worked to make it acceptable for women to be viewed as beautiful and sexy, but also intelligent and powerful. Playboy has been a longtime advocate for equal rights for women and it is one of the reasons I am proud to work here and represent the brand. It is a terrific place to work as a woman. Everyone is very respectful in our workplace. Although the content we deal with on a day-to-day basis may be a lot sexier than at most companies, we all still act in a professional manner.
How has the public perception of the publication changed in the last 30 years? How has the Playboy mission or lifestyle changed?
JN: I don’t know that either the public perception of the publication or the Playboy mission or lifestyle has necessarily changed. Mr. Hefner started the magazine and the company with a mission to embrace the “good life.” The good life is everything from beautiful women to fast cars, to good drinks and food, to great music and movies, to high-tech gadgets and so on. That is still the overall theme that Playboy embraces. I feel that Playboy magazine speaks to its readers in a voice that shows respect for the reader’s intelligence while also providing fun, sexy, and entertaining content. Since day one, Playboy has also been committed to protecting and enhancing the American principles of personal freedom and social justice. Playboy continues to do so today through the work of The Playboy Foundation, the charitable arm of the company. If there has been any change in the public perception, it’s been that Playboy is more mainstream now than ever before. It’s the highest-selling men’s monthly magazine in the world, with circulation larger than FHM, GQ, and Esquire combined.
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